Flooded with info to share with you

June 07, 2008|By John Ferak, World-Herald Staff Writer

Tons of stuff comes across my desk every day. Sometimes things slip through the cracks. I always try to review my e-mail at the end of the week (when is that?) to see if I missed anything. Often, there are too many things to say, so again, please allow me to share some things that I know: Flooded feeling: Here was one of the lead stories in the June 3rd edition of the Omaha World-Herald - By John Ferak World-Herald Staff Writer SCHUYLER, Neb. - A week ago, Linda and Randy Papendick rejoiced when someone agreed to buy their house in Schuyler, Neb. Then Friday, the nearby Shell Creek flooded, dumping more than three feet of water into their basement. It killed the transaction. “I don't blame them one bit for backing out of the deal,” Linda Papendick said Monday afternoon as more than a dozen volunteers rummaged through her home at 1615 D St. Volunteers ripped out basement carpet and drywall and removed family possessions destroyed by the floodwaters: Dishes. Photo albums. Keepsake Christmas cards from relatives. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency reported Monday that cleanup continues in Platte Center and Schuyler. More than 250 homes and buildings in Schuyler were damaged, and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services sent a team there Monday to test water quality in private wells. We in Aberdeen feel your pain, cousin Randy. My wife and I - and our buddy Mark among others - just finished with a complete remodel of our basement from the Aberdeen flood almost one year and one month ago today. And so many others had it much, much worse than our family. Many in the Aberdeen area continue to suffer because of the 7 to 10 inches of rain that fell in a matter of hours May 5-6, 2007. Mendel-Thune connection: I learned something this week from Don Mendel of Doland. Don is the eldest of “Smokey Joe“ Mendel's six children. Smokey won the 1926 state track meet for Onida, scoring 20 points to beat Sioux Falls Washington's 19-member team who scored 19.5 points. U.S. Sen. John Thune's wife, Kim (Weems), is a Doland native who is Smokey's granddaughter and Don's niece. The Thunes' daughters, 2006 graduate Brittany and 2008 graduate Larissa, both are school record holders in track and field at Sioux Falls Roosevelt. Brittany Thune, who just finished her sophomore season at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., recently won the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters at the Altantic Sun Conference championships. Secret Service agent: The Northern State musical group, the Dominant 7, started playing the NSU fight song right before President Bill Clinton spoke on the Aberdeen campus Monday. It brought back painful memories for one Secret Service agent. The agent told a nearby NSU official that he played football for a Minnesota school in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. So he had been to Aberdeen to play the Wolves a couple of times in his career. The agent said, “It was never very good when you heard the NSU band playing that song - you knew you were in trouble.” Olympic Trials: I don't every remember so many area athletes who were attempting to qualify for the USA Olympic Trials. The trials will take place June 27-July 6 in Eugene, Ore. Among those who are trying for a chance at Olympic gold are: Northern State hurdler Jake Hamik of Aberdeen, Black Hills State thrower Aubrey Baxter of Redfield, and former University of South Dakota pole vaulter Sam Pribyl of Webster. All three hold all-time South Dakota collegiate records. Also, former South Dakota State runner Brad Lowery, whose brother Brian teaches and coaches at Aberdeen Central, is still working on qualifying. And then there is Big Ten Conference field athlete of the year Billy Hardcastle of Mobridge. An Olympics also might be in the future for this Purdue freshman thrower. Who am I forgetting? It seems like I am forgetting someone. Let me know. ESPN contact: ESPN has been making some calls to Redfield recently to talk about Hank Aaron. Aaron, who played Northern League baseball for Eau Claire, Wis., used to hit home runs in Aberdeen against the Aberdeen Pheasants. Apparently, ESPN was researching when Aaron used to pheasant hunt around Redfield and play baseball with some the South Dakota Developmental Center residents. News-sports editor John Papendick: (800) 925-4100 or 622-2323 jpapendick@aberdeennews.com